Underworld 3: Retribution
by spellbound16
Summary: Revenge is as sweet as blood.
1. Chapter 1

"She's not hiding in the woods. We've been searching there for weeks." Erika states slitting her eyes as she drums her fingers on the ivory arm of the throne.

"Does she have anyone to flee to?" asks Vincent irritated with Erika's lack of direction as leader of the house. Now that all three elders have been slain, she deemed it her right to avenge their deaths and Kraven's. Now the house is on the hunt for Selene, the traitorous wench, and Michael, the _abomination_.

Erika's eyes light in sudden inspiration. The corner of her mouth twists delicately as a plan blossoms in her mind, "_I_ don't. But, I know someone who does. Bring me Kahn. Immediately."

000 000 000

"Hey babe," Ben says sweetly into the cell phone.

"Ben can you pick up some…you know."

He can hear the smile in her throat. He pulls off into the drugstore parking lot. "Ribbed or regular?" He asks slamming the door.

"You know what I like," She whispers seductively.

_Oh, God, _He thinks feeling it press against the zipper of his jeans. She giggles as if she knows what's happening. "I'll be right over. Don't move!" He orders then snaps his phone shut.

"Dude why don't you just buy the value pack?" The pimple infested teenager asks studying the ribbed rubbers, "This is like the third time this week."

Ben pulls out a ten impatiently ignoring the idiot. The cashier slowly so very slowly reaches across the counter. His fingertips kiss the ten and rake it ever so carefully towards himself. His right hand stabs a few buttons. "Aw, man! It's stuck again!" The teen mutters. He looks up into the fiery gray eyes of Ben. "Hold on, sir." The cashier ducks under the counter fishing for something.

Ben looks to his right and left. The store is empty. He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, and concentrates feeling the matter of the register dissolve in his mind's power. The tray shoots out just as the cashier springs to his feet and says triumphantly, "Got it!" The tray comes in contact with his forehead causing him to fall backwards against the shelf. Bottles of Advil and Pepto-Bismol fall landing in his lap.

"Keep the change," Ben says quickly fleeing the drugstore, condoms in hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Laura finishes off the rat chewing on its eye like a jellybean. Licking her fingers, she sits at the window watching for the headlights of the Bronco. She looks down peering at her blood soaked white blouse. "Damn," She curses heading for the bedroom. She slips out of her clothes then fills the bathroom sink with cold water. Dropping the shirt in, she looks into the mirror studying her naked body. She grins, satisfied. "Eight hundred years old," She muses shaking her auburn hair off her shoulders.

The front door creaks open. Laura tosses the dead rat through the open window hearing the light thud land in the backyard. As she slathers Crest on her toothbrush, Ben slowly opens the bathroom door a crack. He stops and stares admiring his beautiful fiancée. She feels his burning gaze. Her muscles go limp; she drops the toothbrush in the now red cloudy water atop her blouse. Gravity pushes her downward onto the cool blue tile floor. Her chest rises and falls with anticipation; he has complete control. He undresses quickly glancing at the sink. "Nosebleed?" He asks not really caring about the answer as his pants fell to his ankles.

She nods, swallowing, feeling the impressions of the tile against her rocking head. He turns quickly ripping open the packet and slips on the condom then stops, concentrating. Laura moans softly. He smiles at the achievement then lowers himself to her level. He doesn't dare to use his power while they're making love. She barely lets him get away with it during foreplay…except tonight. She didn't object when he'd lowered her to the ground and made her moan. _Something is definitely up_.

She smiles up at him capping his shoulders with her impressive grip. He adjusts the weight on his knees and watches as she closes her eyes in frustrated bliss. Their chests mold together, the fast paced heartbeats in perfect rhythm. Her sweaty back makes it hard to hold on but he manages pinning her to the tile. Screaming his name and begging him to stop only eggs him on as he half-shouts half-whispers obscenities in her ear. She groans and pleads squinting against the hard glare of the bathroom light and digging her nails into the backs of his upper arms. "Talk dirty, Lor. Come on baby! Talk dirty!"

"N-no," She gasps, her body now shaking uncontrollably as they reach the climax. He closes his eyes not wanting to lose the two-second euphoria. He concentrates on her pretty rouge lips and the muscles in her sweet succulent tongue forming the words he needs to hear to keep the nirvana of pleasure. Suddenly words pour from her. Mixes of erotic fantasies coupled with neurotic sentiments collide together in a new language only they could understand. As her breathy curses and fiery sweet-nothings slow, she can feel him stop above her; his chest pushing and retracting into hers as he breathes heavily blowing into her scalp. He pulls himself out and rocks back on his heels staring down at his puppet. She looks up at him teary-eyed in awed conviction. Guilt emblazons his soul eating him up and licking old flames on the inside. Ben gets up and leaves without a word.

Laura lies there stunned into silence. Words come to mind. Not the disgusting ones she was made to utter, but others that couldn't really pinpoint what she was feeling. Anger? Exploitation? Numb? Slowly, she rises and unplugs the sink. She watches as the rat blood swirls into a crimson cyclone and disappears down the drain.


	3. Chapter 3

"We can't stay here forever," Selene whispers looking up at Michael. He cradles her closer to his chest feeling guilty all over again. It was his fault they were running. It was his very blood that was going to kill himself and most importantly, his true love. He looks down staring at her with a grave face.

"Where can we go?" He says in a hushed tone glancing around the dark cave.

"I have a friend we could stay with for a little while. Probably for just a week, but it's something. After that we can figure out where we can stay in hiding…permanently." She answers biting her bottom lip so hard that a trickle of blood runs down her chin.

Michael gently wipes it away with his finger, "Hey, easy there. You don't want to bite your lip in half."

She smiles, her two front teeth stained scarlet, "Why don't you kiss me to make it feel better."

Michael tilts his head. Their lips collide and the rain suddenly breaks free from the sky's grasp, flinging itself against the cave walls. He can taste the blood pulsing from her ruby red lips. Their tongues tease and tangle in the mutual sustenance. A mighty fire of passion rises in Michael's abdomen. _I want her. I want her. I want her. _His hands dance up and down her sides, sliding against the leather. He's fumbling for the buttons.

She stops, breaking their kiss to do it herself. Michael can't help himself as he gently pushes her hands away to peel off her vest. Underneath is a tight leather corset imprisoning her sallow skin in its ebony grip. Her breasts rise, two half-moons, over the top. There is a stirring deep within the confines of Michael, a carnal ravenous hunger. He pulls at the draw strings which loosen instantly. The corset slips downward under her milky white breasts, their ends a tinted rose color.

000 000 000

It's dawn and empty. Michael opens his eyes instinctively reaching for her. But all his fingers touch is wet soiled ground, evidence from the night before. Selene is gone. Michael scrambles to his feet, covering his lower body with a blanket. The sun rays stretch along the inside of the cave like yellow piano keys. But, there is no music in the warmth. He glances around his feet. His backpack is still here. Quickly dressing, Michael leaves the cave to go investigate ignoring the aching conclusion that they've taken her or worse…she left him. His heart stops at that thought and it takes several moments to revive himself and continue on.

"Maybe she went hunting," Michael says to himself as he reaches a stream. He sits on his knees cupping the ice cold water into his palms. He looks at his reflection. There is a hardness in his features, a weary look of determination he's trying to fake. "Maybe she left on purpose," He resigns with a sigh before splashing his face.

"Or maybe she had to go retrieve some disturbing news," An earth shattering voice says behind him.

His heart turns to icy fright then liquefies to instant fire. "Selene," He gasps turning. She smiles from the edge of the woods then backs away disappearing behind the branches. "Hey wait a second!" Michael laughs relieved. He jumps to his feet and runs up the bank towards the pines. A wall of cold takes over his body before he enters making goose bumps form. A flicker of fear engulfs him. _Wait a minute, _he thinks pushing away the branches.

His eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. Everything is dim. And then he sees. There are three death dealers, guns raised, pointing at him. Their faces are dead with purpose. They have only one wish, a death wish. Selene steps from behind an oak, smirking. Her arms are crossed. "Kill him."


	4. Chapter 4

Selene ran through the woods, her boots crashing through the forest floor. Her conversation with Kahn kept playing through her mind.

_"Erika interrogated me about your whereabouts," He said softly at their secret meeting place. "I lied and said you were probably in France." His gloved hand grabbed her forearm with a gentle squeeze. "You've got to get out of here. Before it is too late."_

_"Kahn, it's Erika… not some warlord. I doubt if she even knows how to hold a gun much less how to shoot it. Why hasn't anyone obliterated her authority?" Selene asked dumbfounded. _

_"She has Amelia's amulet," He seethes, "We cannot disobey or…you know." _

_"Christ," She mutters finally understanding the weight of the situation. "And the house?"_

_"They go along with whatever she says out of fear. She suspects that I and the other death dealers are acting as a coup. She's a lot smarter than we give her credit for." He continues bitterly. _

_"Why are you helping me? I thought you'd be after me too knowing what I'd done to Viktor and Marcus."_

_"Viktor had it coming and Marcus is a tyrant. I'm glad both of them are gone. But my Amelia…" Kahn's face breaks with emotion. He takes several breaths and collects himself. "I just don't understand why you ran off with that…thing."_

_"Yes you do. We're very much alike Kahn, but the difference is that I chose love over everything else."_

_"That's the thing about you, Selene. You were always heading in a different direction. That's what attracted Kraven to you. You weren't like the typical pretty vampires."_

_"Erika is after me for that if not anything else, I'm sure." Selene remarks, ignoring the creeping blush and Kahn's compliments. _

_"Go. Get out of Budapest, before she finds you." Kahn orders gently pushing Selene. _

_"I was thinking of staying at Laura's for maybe a week before…"_

_"Traitorous wench." Kahn says through his gritted teeth. "I hope you have the good sense than to be with the likes of her."_

The cave is empty. No Michael. His backpack lies forlornly against a boulder. Selene calls for him, but the only thing coming back to her is the echo of her own voice.

_Something's got him. He left me. He's hurt. Dead. He left me. _Selene tears through the trees coming up to a stream. There are footprints. She studies them intently. _Boots. His size. _She follows them leading up to a bank. A couple of the branches of a pine are broken, the leaves below it are a bit scattered. _He's been here. _She walks through and takes a deep breath. It smells of vampires.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hello?," Laura answers trying to pin her cell phone between her cheek and shoulder while digging through her sky blue corduroy purse. She's at the strip mall practically drooling over a pair of black dress shoes with high wooden wedges and shiny buckles.

"It's me," says a voice Laura hasn't heard in nearly one hundred years.

Laura drops her purse and the thought of cheap shoes. "Selene?"

"Meet me by the cross at Liberty Bridge in one hour."

"What's wrong?" Laura whispers. Her cell phone suddenly chirps in reply. The signal has faded.

Suddenly the phone vibrates in her palm. _Hubby_ scrolls across the screen. Laura pockets the thing and waves the shoe vender over. "Mennyi részére ezek cipők?"

000 000 000

"Damn it, Lor. Pick up," Ben mutters under his breath. He drums his fingers against the wooden desk in his office, staring at the portrait of his lover. He knew she had the phone on her and probably chose to ignore his call. She'd pick up for anyone else, but for him… This thought suddenly enrages him as he clamps the phone shut and knocks her picture over with the back of his hand.

"Everything alright in there?" His secretary, Janine, asks poking her head into the doorway. Her eyes fall to the cracked glass of the picture frame. He nods with a fake smile and opens his laptop pretending to work. Janine's pumps click down the hallway. Ben closes his eyes. He can practically feel the exchanging smirks between his gossipy secretary and the other coworkers. Laura is his desktop picture on the computer. He sighs softly thinking back to how they met.

_It was in late December almost three years ago. She was in a long leather trench and tall gothic boots. Her long auburn hair was down to her buttocks and her eyes were an ice turquoise blue. She'd been standing on the railing of Liberty Bridge clinging to the wind, never moving. Her balance must have been black magic or maybe even the grace of God. _

_She was staring down at the frozen water, her eyes searching for something. Ben was walking home from a bad blind date and a tad buzzed, but when he saw her, his mind cleared. He wanted to subdue her, calm her, hold her to his chest and never let her feel the kind of despair that only lifted once you hit the surface. He wanted to woo her with soothing words, coax her down off the railing and into his arms and yeah, maybe into his bed if the night progressed swimmingly. But the only thing his wine stained lips could come up with was, "Don't do it." _

_Her head snapped around and her glowing blue eyes swallowed him whole. Her red fiery hair floated around her, waving proudly like a bloody flag hitting her cheeks. _

_She pulled the Glock from her vest, "Drop dead."_

And that's when he pushed her. With his mind. Her shoulders flew backwards with such a force, that he could hear her bones crack in protest. A gunshot rang out and the bullet flew five feet over his head into the belly of an old Oak. And she fell. Her boots curled over her head and her fingers spread like the wings of a newborn butterfly, weak and fragile. Her hair rippled in the chilled air floating above her. Ben heard the splash and gurgles and then a choking scream. He walked calmly to the rail and leaned over watching the bubbles and now black hair. Ben smiled.

The all too familiar cry of police sirens stirred him from euphoria. He looked down at the beautiful angel who'd just floated up to the surface; her surprise frozen to her marbled visage. Ben ran off the bridge and to the water's edge. Her chest was rising slowly, assuredly. He ripped off his business suit and shoes. The water seized his muscles. They cramped badly, but Ben wasn't going to go to jail again. His arms chopped through the still waters and grabbed the half-dead immortal. He pulled her to shore and took her home.

He wasn't a threat to her, she had decided. He had a power that lured her like a bad spell. She trained him and soon his power was under his control and hers. But then he began to practice without her supervision and he decided to use it to his full advantage. One hot Sunday afternoon she awoke to her nakedness. Her mind had been drugged, stripped of trust. At first, she played with the idea of love, the flame of seduction. She had been mesmerized by this mortal's immortal power. But she had been burned and raped without her knowledge. And then they got married.


	6. Chapter 6

Everything is in a haze. Michael opens his eyes. A swinging dim light is overhead creaking in agony, throwing shadows. A rush of air leaves his chest. _It hurts_. Gravity keeps him anchored to the table, strapped in like some kind of madman. A door opens sweeping across the floorboards. "Ah, I thought you were awake," announces a cool feminine voice. He tries to snap up, but the excruciating pain in his sternum intercepts his fear. The angry ache leaves him paralyzed. Michael's ragged sharp breaths come and go. He eases back down and closes his eyes.

She laughs. Her fingertips are cool against his forehead like little icicles. "There, there. You'll be dead in due time. The pain will subside then." He ignores her voice, her smell, her hands. This hurts much more than his chest. It goes far beneath the skin. He frowns in dismay. _She didn't love me after all. It was all a lie. _"You're angry with me then. Michael, you simpleton, I only did it for the coven. You were a mere pawn in this war."

_Thisisnotreal.Thisisnotreal.Thisisnot—_Something sticks him in the neck. He feels the nose of the needle pull out of his vein. The weight of the world comes rushing in and rests atop his eyelids. _Her eyes are the color of the sky._

000 000 000

_Laura? _"It can't be," Selene murmurs to herself. _She looks so…human._ But it is her. Laura, the rebel vampire, the illegitimate daughter of Viktor, and the traitor who left the Coven three years ago and never looked back. She hated her father and her own race. So she left and disguised herself as a mortal. The only thing she loved was Selene, her best friend, whom she left behind.

The woman looks up from staring at her feet. It is her. "Selene," Laura says jumping up and rushing over to her best friend. They embrace and suddenly it feels like nothing had ever changed. But it had, oh God did everything change. Laura releases but still clings to Selene's forearms. "You look exactly the same."

"It must be the whole undead thing," Selene smiles her fangs slipping over her pale lips. "You've changed though."

"Yes, I have," Laura says somberly, studying the tree behind Selene hoping to avoid her chastising look.

"I'm in trouble," Selene says interjecting Laura's thoughts of dissatisfaction mixed with a bad case of nostalgia.

Laura comes back to Earth where everybody's problems coexist with hers. "Oh?" She asks arching her shapely eyebrow. "Is it Kraven?"

Selene grimaces and makes a gagging sound, but then stops herself. Laura has no idea what all has happened. The elders, Kraven, and her father are dead. And Selene killed them, maybe not all of them by her own hand, but she did by falling in love with a lycan turned hybrid. But, she did slay Viktor. "Um, Laura. You really need to sit down." Selene leads Laura to a rickety bench overlooking the bridge. Selene opens her mouth and purges the past events. Laura stares open mouthed throughout but when Selene mentions the part of Viktor's death, Laura's eyes glaze over.

"I wanted to tell you, Selene. About my father slaying your family, but I couldn't. I'm not crying because he's dead. I'm actually happy, it's just… You were alone and I was selfish and just ran away and you stayed. You stayed." She takes a deep breath and is silent.

"Michael left me," Selene's voice breaks and falls into her throat. "I-I need somewhere to stay for just a week. Please. Kahn warned me that Erika was looking for me and-"

"You can stay for more than a week if that's what you need. I just want to be sure your safe. Ben won't mind."

"Ben?"

"He's my fiancé," Laura says trying to muster up some kind of enthusiasm.

"You don't love him." Selene breathes watching the flame in Laura's eyes wither.

"I…" Laura looks away staring at the railing of the bridge, the spot where she stood. "He saved me three years ago. It was right after I left. I wanted to end my life. I figured out that being a mortal wasn't much better than being a vampire. I stood on the railing and he stopped me. I shot at him, but I missed because he pushed me off with his… mind. Then he saved me from the water and I guess after that we were married emotionally, you could say."

"So then what happened?"

"Ben is psychokinetic. I helped harness his power, but then he began using it for more…lustful purposes." Laura looks away, teary eyed, ashamed. "I fell out of love."

"Why don't you leave him?"

"He loves me."

They rise in silence and hug before walking across the bridge, heading for Laura's home. The fear in Selene eases a bit, but the hurt is crushing her heart with every step she takes.


	7. Chapter 7

Erika stares into her own cold eyes and smiles, fingering Amelia's golden amulet splayed across her bare chest. Her lids fall down. She concentrates on her body molding it to fit Selene's. Her hair turns to ebony, the shade of night and her aqua eyes liquefy into ivory moons. She chokes out an evil laugh watching as her body transforms into Michael's lover. "Poor Amelia," She mocks staring at the elder's picture hanging over a fireplace, "You didn't take advantage of your little gift. If you had, you'd probably still be alive. Lucky me."

"Your grace?" Vincent grunts from the doorway. He raises his eyebrow; his mouth set firmly.

Erika turns placing a hand on her bony hip, "What?"

"Is-is that Amelia's?" Vincent stares in horror.

"No, I'm the real Selene" Erika snorts rolling her eyes, "Yes it is you twit. What of it?"

"The amulet," He comes closer staring at the large amber colored stone set in gold with the vampire crest in the middle. He reaches out to touch it; his fingers graze against the cool smooth stone. He looks up through his bangs at Erika. _If she didn't speak, she could be my Selene, but no. It is just a trick, a horrible trick passed down since the very first vampire. _Erika catches his passionate gaze and is frozen to a feeling of intensity. Vincent turns away. _No._ Erika grabs his hand, stopping him abruptly.

"Let go Erika."

"Sounds like you need to let go Vincent," Erika releases his hand and crosses her arms.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Vincent snarls spinning around to face his tormenter.

"She didn't want Kraven and she doesn't want you. She's with that abomination. The only pleasure you can have is right now," She ends seductively clapping her palm over his heart.

"Take off that necklace, Erika. You're insulting a true vampire." Vincent says crisply; his once blazing eyes now a burnt charcoal.

Erika cries in outrage at the scalding insult. Vincent turns disappearing out of the door then jogs down the hallway. _I'm going to find her and kill that hybrid._

_000 000 000_

"She has Amelia's amulet?" Laura's eyes balloon as she takes a bite of a gingersnap.

"Laura, I thought you were on the _South Beach_ diet," Ben says popping his head in the kitchen.

"It's just a gingersnap," Laura says licking her fingers, one of Ben's biggest pet peeves.

"Well, honey, I know you're going to be bitching next week about gaining weight so I'd thought I'd intervene early. Might as well break bad habits before they get worse, right Selene?" He asks giving her a pointed look.

"I'm on a strict diet," Selene smiles thinking of Laura's hidden stock of rats.

"Smart girl," He winks then disappears into the living room.

"So anyway," Selene whispers trying to smooth over Laura's look of embarrassment, "Kahn came and warned me that Erika was after me and that she had Amelia's amulet. After that meeting, I ran back to the cave and Michael was nowhere in sight. I looked everywhere. I picked up a vampire scent though at the edge of the woods near the river."

"Do you think Erika took him?"

"I don't know. It makes sense. I picked up more than one vampire's scent."

"We should go back and look for clues you know to prove it was Erika. We don't want to rush in after her and get killed in the process."

"You're right," Selene says glancing at the bloodstain on Laura's collar. After a pause she adds mournfully, "Do you think she got him?"

Laura looks down at her unfinished gingersnap and says nothing.


	8. Chapter 8

"This way," Selene calls running through the woods with Laura trailing behind her.

"Hey wait up!" Laura yells back huffing and puffing. Selene pushes the branches that claw at her face and hands. _I can smell them. The scent…it's so strong. _She reaches the clearing and stops, listening. The gurgle and splash of the river is just ahead. The sunlight dances off the surface reflecting through the gaps in the branches.

"This is it," Selene whispers bending to the forest floor blanketed by dead leaves.

"I'll go this way," Laura says turning.

"No," Selene interjects looking up sharply. "Stay with me. Just in case."

Laura nods wordlessly and hunches down to the ground shoveling piles of moldy leaves with her hands. The clearing is not very big and it only takes Laura and Selene a few minutes to search. Disappointed, Selene rises with a sigh biting her bottom lip worriedly. Pine needles tickle her cheek and as she brushes them away, a red substance paints itself onto her fingertips.

"Laura," Selene murmurs. Laura looks up from her digging and stops with a gasp.

"Is that..?"

"Blood," Selene confirms then brings it to her lips. With a single lick, blood memories swarm her brain. The intensity of the surging memories knocks Selene back against the pine. She slides down the trunk holding onto her skull. _Empty cave. The river swirling, distorting Michael's face…a reflection. His shoulders swivel around. He sees…me? He runs up a bank through pine branches and stops. _Prickles of fear arrest Selene's breast, interrupting the memories. She takes a deep breath and they come again in hazy slides._ Pushes branches away. Death dealers. Guns cocked, loaded. And me with a smile. "Kill him."_

"No!" Selene screams tumbling out of the memories, the nightmare. Tears pulse from her eyes.

"Selene! What happened? What did you see?" Laura says shaking her shoulder.

"Michael's dead. He died thinking I killed him," Selene chokes on the emotion blooming in her throat.

"What?" Laura gasps, "I don't understand. How could you-." She stops as the realization emerges. "The amulet. Erika used it to make him think that you wanted him for dead. Selene…" She brushes the hair back away from Selene's face. "He may not be dead."

Selene jumps up and pulls the 9mm from its holster; the silver glinting in the shattered sunlight.

"W-what are you doing?" Laura asks warily backing away.

"Avenging everything I'm living for." She states starting for the dirt path then tosses over her shoulder with a metallic gleam in her eye, "You remember how to shoot?"


	9. Chapter 9

Vincent just barely makes it out the front door when Kahn stops him grasping the inside of his elbow. "And where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Vincent wrenches his arm free then reaches into his camouflage jacket pulling out his gun in one quick fluid movement. "Don't intervene, Kahn. It's too late."

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

"Get back in the house. Now! Or, or I'll shoot!"

"You shoot me and I'll drag you straight down to hell," Kahn growls snatching the gun from Vincent in the blink of an eye. He turns the gun on Vincent and pops in the clip.

"Don't shoot him." Erika says coolly from the top of the stairs. She is regal in a tight forest green corset and brown leather skirt. The golden amulet sparkles under the porch lights.

Kahn spins around cocking the gun at the sound of her voice. "And I'm bloody sick of hearing your damned voice, you cowardly wench." He shoots and misses, the bullet crumbling a gargoyle. Its face splinters and slips to the stairs nearly crushing Erika's left foot.

Her eyes narrow into slits as her fingers clasp the amulet, "I bid thee to sleep an eternal night's rest. I bid thee divine Death to take hold of thy breast."

Kahn's eyes widen. The whites are wet with fear and sudden regret and in his pupils mirror Erika's gaze and laughing lips. And he falls with a hand to his heart. His veins pulse and bulge out of his skin. He trembles from invisible monsters and whispers one word… "_Amelia_."

Vincent stares, the muscle in his jaw twitching.

"I'll make you a deal," Erika begins savoring each word for every step she takes. Her fingers slide down the banister. She is a queen.

"A deal?" Vincent whispers still staring at his dead commander.

"Let me take care of the hybrid. And I'll let you have Selene."

His head snaps up. His eyes are framed in fear, "But you said…"

"Forget what I fucking said," Erika cuts in exasperated. "Do you want her or not?"

"Why do you want to help me?"

"It's not you I'm helping. You're just getting generous compensation along with my benefit."

Vincent crosses his arms skeptically. "What do you have in mind?"

000 000 000

"What happened?" Ben asks a nurse while eyeing the delirious blond man that lay before him in the emergency room.

"The girlfriend says it was a suicide attempt."

"Hmmm," Ben checks the man's vital signs and frowns. "Sounds valid. It looks like he didn't take too many. I think it's just passing through his system. Maybe he decided that killing himself wasn't such a good idea, so he decided to vomit what he could."

The nurse stares at the vomit stains on the man's shirt and nods in awe at Dr. Burns's quick thinking. "I want him on fluids immediately." He orders handing the nurse his clipboard. "It should help wash him out and I don't like the sound of his breathing." Ben inserts a tube through the man's mouth and into his trachea glancing over at the machine every so often to check his heart rate. After a few minutes, Ben smiles and says "Ah, good. His heart rate is a bit steadier."

"Dr. Burns you are needed in room sixteen. Dr. Burns, room sixteen" commands the overhead speaker.

"Keep an eye on Mr. Corvin, Amanda." Ben orders behind him as he strides out of the room. Then murmurs, "He was one of our finest."

The girlfriend has his back to him in the lobby. Her shoulders are shaking.

"Excuse me are you Michael Corvin's girlfriend?" Ben asks quietly. She turns and shuts her phone off. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your call." He stammers. _She is beautiful. Her long blonde mane hangs down in fits of curls and her hazel eyes are…so vulnerable, fragile. Her tight green corset frames her body perfectly and that skirt…_

"Yes, I am." She answers timidly, standing. "Do you have any news?"

Suddenly Ben remembers that he is a doctor, the cornerstone of life and death, the healer and the reaper. "We'll have to keep him overnight, but yes. He'll survive."

"Oh thank God," She erupts in thankful tears.

"Do you have any idea why he would do such a horrible thing?" Ben asks carefully knowing full well that he was breaking so many cardinal rules in one sentence.

She sighs dramatically and falls into a chair. "He was having an affair with some saucy redhead."

Lights go off in Ben's mind. "Redhead? Did you ever catch her name?"

"L-_something. _Lauren?" She frowns trying to remember.

"Laura." Ben provides holding his breath.

"That's it!" Erika smiles then stops. A sea churns inside of Ben. He grits his teeth holding back waves of curses that threaten to fly from his tongue.

"Well if you excuse me," Ben says rising, "I have some things to attend to."

Erika nods, "Thanks again Dr. Burns, you have been so helpful."

"Same to you," Ben smiles through his teeth. He turns quickly on his heel heading for the emergency room.


	10. Chapter 10

A strip of light rests under the closed door. Laura takes a deep breath, her hand resting gently on the brass doorknob, gun poised and ready. Throwing it open, she jumps through scanning the perimeter of the room in mere seconds, looking for a murderer. Her eyes rest on Kahn, frozen to his desk, his pen hovering over a piece of parchment. He is staring at her with dark horrific eyes, a look of uncertainty sweeping across his face.

"Where's Erika and the other Death Dealers?" Laura asks her guttural voice dipping into a low assertive tone. Kahn is up in a flash with a gun in his pointing at Laura's skull.

"Sit down," Laura orders, but this time her voice isn't as convincing.

Kahn smiles, "Drop the gun Laura. You know you can't win against me."

"Oh and why's that?" She counters then shoots at the bookshelf only a foot away from his skull. The books topple over barely missing him.

"Because," A grin tugs at the corners of his brown lips, undettered, "You lost before."

Laura lowers her arm a bit, her gun now focusing on his abdomen. "What are you talking about?"

Kahn throws his gun to the rug, throwing his hands up in the air. "You left because of me, because of what we did. And now you're seeking revenge. So go ahead, shoot me. But if you do, you'll go on living, knowing that what happened was as much of your doing as it was mine."

Laura growls, "You took advantage of me Kahn. I didn't want you. I just wanted to know how it felt. Plus," She stops grinning for the bomb, "I was just your little band aid after your precious elder rejected your infatuation."

"You think you're so much stronger than me. Throw down your gun. Let's fight hand to hand. Don't look so surprised. Come on you little bitch." Laura tosses the gun to the floor coming at him with fists and nails and the hot white buzzing hatred. Kahn grabs her wrists pinning him her against the wall. His mouth only inches from her nose. "This is what you want huh? To experience. You're nothing but a slut. How dare you compare my love for Amelia to what we did. You wanted me like you do right now." His mouth closes on her lips as she tries to scream. His tongue pries open her lips, exploring her inside. He chokes her drowning out her thoughts.

_Wait._ Laura glances down. His gun is lying near her foot. She bends her knees a bit, trying to scrape the metal object closer.

"No, no." He whispers capturing her lips. She grabs the zipper on his pants tugging it downward as she lowers herself to the floor. He laughs softly in her ear. "Steady, girl." Her fingertips crawl, as she reaches, her shoulders straining from the stretch and the weight of him towards the fallen gun. "What're you…" He asks turning ever so slightly. Laura stuffs her hand into his pants gently butting his face away from her near grasp of the gun.

"Just relax," She purrs. Kahn shoves her skirt up, snatching at her panties. The lacy material rips in one swift movement. Kahn positions himself ready to enter. Laura flings herself forward, and he ravages her as she makes a grab for the gun. Kahn closes his eyes concentrating on her flesh then pins her back against the wall. He kicks backwards flinging the gun out of reach. He pulls away, holding her shoulders in his two meaty fists. "You think I don't know what you're up to."


	11. Chapter 11

Selene opens the door to lab. Her eyes adjust to the dim lighting. She turns on the swinging lamp. A body is lying on the table. His chest is still. "No!" Selene cries rushing over to the table. Michael's eyes are shut. Fresh wounds are strewn across his skin. Selene presses her ear to his sternum listening for something earth shattering.

Her eyes stray to the window. It is dark outside, a handful of stars sprinkled here and there. Her fingers trace his profile from the middle of his forehead, over the bridge of his nose, and down the contours of his full lips. Tears land over the tops of his lids. Moonlight breaks through the night clouds

then shines through the window. The lunar pool falls over Michael. "You'd be turning right now if it wasn't for me. We should have left faster and now…" Selene sobs pressing a kiss to his frozen lips.

Michael shifts under her; she presses harder against him. And his arms come around her holding her to his chest. "Selene..."

She looks up and gasps. Michael's face deforms, his features rearranging. She pulls away as they come into place. She knows who he is. "Vincent," She murmurs sliding off of the table.

"No… don't go," He reaches for her, grabbing at her sleeve.

"Don't touch me!" Her voice dangerously low as she wrenches her arm free from his grasp.

Vincent snatches at his chest from the excruciating pain. His breathing comes in short spurts. "I love you…" His voice is dying.

Selene reaches into the collar of his suede jacket; her fingers graze against something cold and metallic. Her fingers wrap around the cursed amulet and she tugs sharply, causing the chain to break around his neck. "This," She seethes shoving it in front of his face, "does not constitute what love is. You can't masquerade love." Hastily snatching the gun from her back pocket, she presses the nose of it to Vincent's forehead. "Now tell me. Where's Michael?"

"He'll be dead by the time you find him," Vincent smirks evilly.

"Well if you won't tell me," Selene dives down towards his neck, lips parted in a deadly kiss, "maybe your blood will…"


	12. Chapter 12

Erika and Vincent. Talking.

"_I'll make you a deal.."_

_"A deal?"_

"_Let me take care of the hybrid. And I'll let you have Selene."_

"_But you said…"_

"_Forget what I fucking said. Do you want her or not?"_

_"Why do you want to help me?"_

_"It's not you I'm helping. You're just getting generous compensation along with my_

_benefit."_

_"What do you have in mind?"_

_"Take this amulet and morph into Michael. Knowing Selene, she should be _

_arriving at the mansion anytime soon. Lie on the lab table and wait for her. _

_And I'll take the real Michael to the hospital, pose it as some kind of suicide attempt. _

_Introduce that he had a love affair with the doctor's wife. Bingo. Michael's dead._

_And Selene couldn't save him." _

_"Well, wait. How are you going to pose the love affair?"_

_"Selene and Laura have teamed up again. Laura's fiancé is the emergency room_

_doctor who will fly into a fit of rage when he finds out that his little tramp of a wife_

_has been sleeping with his former intern."_

_"And how will he find out about the supposed affair?"_

_"I'll introduce it into my woe is me introduction. Don't worry about details. _

_Do we have an accord?"_

_Vincent reaches out for a handshake then stops himself. "Wait… if Laura is_

_coming with Selene and I'm on the lab table and Kahn is dead. Who's going_

_to take care of Laura? The only other death dealer is Smith but he can't do_

_it because Laura knows that she could take him out in five seconds flat."_

_"Well then we'll morph Smith into Kahn. He'll then receive all of Kahn's_

_strength and plus, Laura and Kahn have a bit of a history anyway. I'm sure_

_it'll make for an interesting fight. Too bad I'll miss it." _

Selene comes up for air, blood memories still flitting around in her brain.

Without thinking, she presses the nose of her 9mm to his forehead and

fires away. His eyes are wide with surprise; his mouth parted in unspoken

words. "You bastard," She curses beating his chest over and over with angry

fists. After a moment, she stops. Realization hits her full force. "Laura!"

She clomps up the stairs carrying her blood stained Beretta next to her temple,

poised and ready. The door at the far end of the hall is wide open, light pouring

through.

There are voices. Selene pauses near the door hidden behind the wall.

"I'm going to off you after I'm done pleasuring you, you little slut. It's

only thing you're good for."

Laura screams in pain. A sharp slap echoes afterwards reducing her to a whimper.

Selene peeks her way around the corner. Smith's back his to her, pinning Laura against the far wall. Laura's eyes bulge when she sees Selene. Selene puts a finger to her lips, shaking her head. Laura's tears fill.

_Damn it. If I shoot him in the back, t__he bullet might go through Laura. _

_But if he stops raping her a__t any moment then he'll see me. And by the looks of it, he has no intention of_

_stopping._ The shade to the window is drawn Selene's brain burns with an idea.

A little smattering of moonlight is peeking through the bottom of the shade.

_If I shoot the curtain rod down, the moonlight will transform him. _

Selene steps back out of the doorway, checking her Beretta.

_There's only two bullets left. I only have two shots. I have to shoot _

_the curtain rod just right to make it knock off the holders. If I fuck this up_...Selene's

eyes light on the fallen gun skittered under a desk The one she gave to

Laura…_we'll die._

Selene peeks around the doorway again this time leaning hard against it

To better steady her arms. Fear exudes from Laura's small face but then

disappears as the pain of him takes over again.Rage fills Selene, the same

rage that got her through the killing sprees to avenge her family's death.

Those lies. Selene raises the Beretta pointing it towards the curtain rod._ I have hit the end just right or it won't fall. ONE…TWO…THREE._ An explosion sounds

from the pistol causing Smith to fall over on top of Laura_. DING!_ The bullet

comes in contact with the metal. The rod flies up and falls down, making a

diagonal across the window. Smith realizing that he hasn't been hit snaps up

his lower half naked.

"You!" He points with a shaking finger. Suddenly he dives under the desk,

grappling the gun. He rolls out from under the desk shooting randomly in

Selene's direction. She ducks as bullets spit into the door behind her head.

Smith continues to roll seemingly unaware of the pool of moonlight only inches from

his body. But then he stops and stares at the white light and grins. "Close call," He

smirks then jumps to his feet. "Bet you thought you had me there."

Selene fires and so does Smith. The bullet bites the metal rod and it flies

up and comes crashing down full force connecting to his head. He

falls to the floor unconscious, dumbstruck. The pool of moonlight swells

coming full circle around him. And then he morphs. His skin lightens to

a sickly pale, his ugly features coming into the play. His teeth brown and

his hair turns a faded gray. Selene strides over as his eyes begin to flutter.

She grinds the ball of her boot against his throat. His eyes pop and a hiss

sounds from the choke. "Bet you thought you had me there," Selene smirks.


	13. Chapter 13

"C'mon," Laura says breaking through the last of the forest, stepping out onto the pavement. The streets are empty except for the string of fog below the night sky. Their boots pound against the sidewalk, their immortal blood speeding through their veins. Laura pauses before the sliding glass doors looking back at Selene. "What are you waiting for?"

Selene looks up into the sky, staring at one lone star. "Don't take him away from me," She whispers and then she runs past Laura through the doors. She rushes to the front desk leaning helplessly against the counter trying to stay upright. "Michael," She chokes out, "Corvin."

"Room 223," The receptionist says pointing her pen down the left hallway. "His girlfriend is in there, though. Please be considerate."

The breath evaporates from Selene. Laura places a hand on Selene's shoulder, "She doesn't happen to be a blonde is she?"

The receptionist frowns trying to remember then nods, "Yes, she is actually."

"Thank you," Laura says tugging Selene along. As they round the corner, they break into a run.

Numbers fly past in a blur. The hundreds come and go until finally they reach the 200s hall. "Two twenty three," Selene murmurs stopping just before the door. She pulls the 9mm from her jacket, then slowly opens the door and steps into the room with Laura right behind her.

Erika and Ben are sitting across from one another at a little table by the window. They both look a bit startled and sheepish. A reddish pigment stains the corner of Ben's mouth. Michael is sleeping peacefully in the far corner, an IV attached to his arm; his innocent mind unaware of the surrounding danger.

"You," Erika growls rising from the chair.

"Not here," Selene's voice dips into a dangerously low key.

"What makes you think you can tell me what to do?" Erika smirks pulling a gun from her skirt.

Ben backs away a few steps, his eyes round with fear. They travel around the room till they settle on Laura. "What's going on?" He says, voice shaking.

"I'd like to know the same thing," Laura counters her voice slicing him to pieces; her eyes zoom in on the lipstick stain.

Selene moves swiftly to Michael's side, her and Erika's guns following one another. "If he dies," Selene says her eyes burning with hatred, "then I'll send you straight to hell."

Erika laughs pointing her gun at Michael, "Look around, Selene, you're in it."

The safety clicks off and Erika fires. Michael's chest jumps, his eyes flying open. He groans holding his side. Blood pools then falls like rain against the white mattress and tiles.

Selene grabs the other 9mm from her thigh holster in one fluid movement and fires. Erika's body dances and with each bullet sailing through her porcelain skin. She crumples to the ground. Her eyes flutter to a close and her lips part with a few last words, "Now you know how it feels to lose…" She chokes blood spurting from her mouth, "love…"

Ben lunges for Selene and Laura steps forward her gun inches from his brain. "Back up." She orders her fist shaking.

"You little whore. You slept with everyone's lover didn't you?" He grabs her wrist crushing it with one mighty grip, the gun clatters to the floor. She cries out then knees him in the groin. His face explodes in pain as he falls to his knees. "You…you stupid bitch."

"Everyone freeze!" A gruff voice orders from the doorway. The security guard holds his gun steadily.

Selene bares her fangs and hisses, her eyes turning a bright sky blue.

"Holy shit!" He curses and fires. She dives downward tackling him to the ground. He scrambles helplessly on the floor, his fat belly weighing him down. Selene grabs his neck then snaps it like a stick. Laura snatches the fallen gun with her good hand and presses it to Ben's temple.

"I'll see you in hell," Her once music like voice residing in guttural tone. He lies in his sustenance, a look of horror plastered on his face.

Red and Blue lights flash. Sirens scream coming closer and closer.

"Michael…" Selene presses her ear to his chest…his heartbeats echo in her soul. "He's alive! He's still alive!"

"Selene, we have to get out of here! The police…" Laura tugs at Selene's arm.

"No!" Selene screams wrenching her arm away. "I can't leave him. I can't! Here take his legs…" She gently pulls the IV from his arm then kisses the little bead of blood that comes to the surface. Laura pulls his legs to the side of the bed while Selene balances his back into a sitting position. "Go open the window," Selene whispers her eyes never moving from his face. Laura rushes over unhooking the latch, throwing both of them open into the night air.

Boots are pounding down the hallway. Selene and Laura hurriedly take Michael shouldering his weight. Laura steps over the window ledge into the soft wet grass, holding his legs. Selene goes up and over gently cradling his head. The door bursts open in the room. "Police!" They announce. Selene and Laura run balancing Michael between them. Selene cups her hand near his wound, collecting the rushing blood.

"Where are we going?" Selene breathes looking around. No one is following them.

"My house, it's just up the street," Laura breathes adjusting her grip. They climb the front steps. "I don't have my key."

"Here hold him," Selene says then turns kicking the door in. It bursts open. They heave Michael up again and head for the master bedroom. They gently lie him down atop the sheets.

"I'll get him some blankets," Laura said disappearing from the room.

Selene gently pulls off his gown and sucks in her breath. The wound is in his ribs and not very deep. The butt of the bullet sticks out trapped in a rose of blood. A rush of grateful air leaves her, "She was always bad with guns," Selene breathes.

"You sure could've fooled me," Michael whispers opening his eyes at half-mast. A small smile tugs at his lips.

"Michael…" Selene cries then attacks him with kisses. She sobs cradling his head against her chest. "You're okay."

"You don't know how good it is to hear your voice…" He smiles, his eyes shining. "But can you fix me up first?"

"Oh, yes! I'm sorry! Am I hurting you?" She asks worriedly.

"No, no. I need you to pull the bullet out." He whispers.

"Don't go to sleep, Michael. I need you to stay awake."

"Hey who's the med here?" He smiles with a yawn.

She kisses his forehead, smoothing his hair. "Here grip the blanket. This will all be over soon." Selene clamps her thumb and pointer finger around the bullet, then slowly pulls it from his ribs. Michael winces and groans quietly, his knuckles white.

"Okay," He pants, "Now I need you to stop the bleeding."

000 000 000

"Hey," Selene says quietly coming into the room. Michael smiles from the bed reaching out for her. She walks to him kneeling at his bedside then lays her head on his chest. "Feeling better?"

"I am right now," He murmurs against her hair. "You should be a nurse."

"And you should get some sleep," She whispers then plants a kiss on his lips.

"I love you. I don't ever want to be apart ever again." He says, his fingers tracing her cheekbones.

"I…" Selene bends her head with a sob, "I'm sorry for dragging you into all of this. You could have led a normal life, but…"

He puts a finger to her lips, silencing her. "No. Don't ever say that. Without you, I am nothing. I want to be with you."

They wept and kissed, their sad tears mingled with the happy ones, Love and Loss entwined, but never broken. Never ever broken.


	14. Author's Note

Thanks to everyone who reviewed or at least read _Retribution. _I'm not particularly pleased with the overall story flow, but I think it turned out okay.Any suggestions or comments are welcome… just leave a review on the Author's Note. How'd you like it? If anyone is wondering about the next writing project, I'm going to give Fanfiction a break for a while and turn to my own creations on fictionpress. The next Fanfic project will probably be a short The Princess and the Goblin one shot.

Love,

Spellbound16.


End file.
